Classic Coastal Campground In Danger

Media Release
May 5th 2009

Another classic coastal campground set to become an exclusive housing development?

Yet another New Zealand seaside campground looks set to be converted into a housing development – further reducing the amount of coastal land available for classic Kiwi camping holidays.

The Tirohanga camp near Opotiki, Eastern Bay of Plenty has been run by the McLellan family for 33 years. However, owners Robert and Glennis McLellan have now put the 5.66 hectare site on the market - and are resigned to the possibility that the much-loved coastal site will be bought by property speculators and turned into an upmarket housing development.

The campground – which overlooks the sand dunes and pristine waters of Tirohanga beach – has land reserved for camp sites, three cabin units, four tourist flats and a full range of support services such as laundry, cooking and shower facilities.

Robert McLellan says he fully appreciates that while generations of New Zealanders who have stayed at the camp site place an enormous sentimental value on the campground, the cold reality is that it could well end up as a gated community with palatial homes and exclusive beach access.

“Glennis and I would love to see the camp continue on, but we are fully aware that its days could be numbered, and while it would obviously be heart-breaking to see 33 years of family heritage and tradition come to an end, we have to face up to reality,” he says.

“Tirohanga camp was established in the 1950’s. At that stage, it was pretty much a field and toilet. It was brought by my dad Ian and mum Val in 1960. ,” said Robert McLellan.

“There was no concrete around any of the buildings, so their first project over summer was to man the spades, bringing in an oversized concrete mixer, and concrete the land - starting at the house, and continuing around each building.”

“Each year there was a new project – such as a Para swimming pool that’s still there and has seen a lot of use over for the last 30 years, while in 1975 a relocatable home park was added. The additions go on - more power points, more water pipes, more sewage pipes, more trees and so on.”

“We bought the camp ground from mum and dad in 1993. Dad called me to say they were selling the land, and although at the time it was the last thing on our minds, after toying with the idea of moving back to Opotiki, Glennis and I decided to make the lifestyle change,” says Robert.

“We’ve got numerous families who have been coming here for as long as I can remember. They brought their children here, and now those children have grown up and are bringing their children here too.”

A Government report compiled by the Department of Conservation identified that increasing land values in coastal areas has resulted in a number of commercial holiday parks and camping grounds being sold over the past decade, and the sites developed for other uses

The document – Review of Camping Opportunities in New Zealand – said that since 1996, there had been a six per cent reduction in the number of camping areas available – particularly affecting prime waterfront locations such as the Tirohanga campground.

The Bay of Plenty was one of a handful of regions identified as most under threat – losing nine camping sites to private use since the mid ‘90s – with Tirohanga campground potentially being added to that list. Elsewhere around the country, some 23 camping sites had disappeared in the East Coast/Hawke’s Bay region, 23 in the Auckland/Coromandel region, and 20 in the Rotorua/Central North Island catchment.

“Access to camping areas is seen as an indicator of New Zealanders’ ability to access the coast – a key heritage right. The closure of iconic camping areas and their subsequent development for other land uses has highlighted coastal developement issues generally. Research indicates 62 per cent of New Zealanders are ‘concerned’ or ‘extremely concerned’ about recent camping area closures,” said the report.

The Tirohanga campground is being marketed by Bayleys Tauranga sales consultants Rhys Mischefski and Duncan Dysart. Rhys Mischefski says there was a high probability that the campgrounds new owner could be a property investor or developer with plans to subdivide the land and build luxury homes – potentially even as a ‘gated community’ such as others seen at the Western and Central ends of the Bay of Plenty.

“Large-scale prime waterfront sections such as Tirohanga campground – with 475 metres of beach frontage - are few and far between. Usually, the only type of land this size coming to the market is in farm holdings. But for developers they are only interested in the waterfront strip and not necessarily the associated in-land holding or the farming business.,” says Mr Mischefski.

Fellow Bayleys sales consultant, Duncan Dysart, says that although it’s a major possibility the campground will be brought be investors and cut up for holiday homes, there are other development opportunities available with this amount of land.

“The 5.66 hectare area of the land far exceeds the land required for a campground. This offers potential for expansion or alternative uses for the land. One such use could be the development of accommodation for the local kiwifruit industry seasonal workers. The amount of land available would allow a completely separate development for this kind of accommodation,” says Duncan Dysart.

As well as the caravan sites, tent sites, two bedroom tourist flats and cabins, the property comes with improvements including a recently refurbished modern four bedroom family home and office providing manager’s accommodation. The camp is just minutes from shopping, cafes, and a 18 hole golf course.

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